System and method for wireless digital air brake testing

ABSTRACT

A system and method for wireless digital air brake testing, the system including: at least two hand held units, a control unit including a user interface, at least two end of train air brake units, and an air manifold connected to the at least two end of train air brake units. The system and method further include electronics connecting the user interface to the air manifold to selectively supply air to selected end of train air brake units, and at least one hand held unit wirelessly connected to the electronics to also selectively supply air to selected end of train air brake units.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the art of wireless communications and to communication devices of the type that are used in wireless communication systems. It also relates generally to rail road cars (or “railcars”), trains comprised of multiple railcars and for railroad switching yards (or simply “yards”). More specifically, however, the present invention relates to air brakes of the type that are used in trains and to the testing that is required of trains and their air brake systems so as to meet air brake testing and safety compliance requirements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Air braking is used in a number of industries and in a number of systems due to the readily available source of air in the atmosphere. Train brakes are one such system. A triple-valve system is the most common and current concept used in the air brake systems of trains. At rest, and with no air pressure applied, the railcar brakes remain engaged, rendering the railcars and the train immovable. The system must be pressurized with air before the brakes will release. That is, once the system is charged, i.e. it reaches its required operating pressure, the brakes are freed and the train is ready to be moved down the track. This “charging” is the first function in the triple-valve system. When a train is moving, it can be slowed or stopped by the “applying” function of the triple-valve system. That is, as air pressure decreases, the brakes are applied. As the amount of air decreases, the valve arrangement allows air to flow back into certain reservoir tanks (each railcar having an isolated air reservoir tank filled with pressurized air), while the brakes are moved to the applied position. Once the brakes are applied and the air escapes after braking, an increase in pressure will once again allow the release of the brakes. Due to the importance in the ability of the train operators to brake a train (including all railcars that comprise the train) and the devastating consequences of any failure to brake a train, testing is an absolute necessity and is mandated by the Federal Railroad Administration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the foregoing, these inventors have devised and configured a system and a method for accomplishing mandated train brake testing in a novel and nonobvious way.

Specifically, the system and method of the present invention includes one control unit (although more can be provided as is set forth in the detailed description herein), which control unit houses certain control electronics, processors (e.g. a programmable logic controller or “PLC”) and hardware for purposes of test implementation and information processing. The control unit is wirelessly connected to one or more hand held units (“HH”), each of which provides a user with remote interfacing to the control unit. The control unit is also wirelessly connected to one or more end-of-train units “EOT”) each of which is designed to send a pressure reading metric from the end of the train to the respective PLC of the control unit and to the respective HH unit that the EOT unit is “synched” with prior to testing.

In the preferred embodiment, an air supply provided at the yard provides air to the control unit. The control unit distributes the air to all tracks via a manifold. During operation, a test fixture directs the test to a selected track while keeping full air supply to the non testing tracks. In the event of power failure, all tracks will have a full supply of air.

The foregoing and other features of the system and method of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of a testing system that is configured in accordance with the system and method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of control unit in relation to its air supply and its air feeders to different track.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the various elements of a control unit that is configured in accordance with the system and method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a control unit, showing the connections to the main air supply and the connections to the various train tracks.

FIG. 5 is schematic view of the control unit and a hand held unit and a printer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As a prefatory statement, it is to be understood that the novel system and method of the present invention assumes usage of at least one computer program that is used in a digital electronic environment that comprises certain system building block “components.” Those components are data structures, data processors and interfaces, and each component is a functional element. The data structures are places to organize and store data. The data processors are used to manipulate data by performing processes or applying algorithms to the data. The interfaces, human-machine interfaces or user interfaces, connect the data structures and the data processors wirelessly to other data structures and data processors within the system.

The program includes source code which is a list of instructions, written in a selected computer language, and then converted into computer machine language, which language the computer uses to build the software “machine” described by the instructions. The software machine is made up of the components referred to above. The source code is a detailed “blueprint” telling the computer how to assemble those components into the software machine. Further, the source code is organized into separate files, files are organized into separate modules, and modules are organized into separate functions or routines to accomplish, via pre-programmed algorithms, the necessary steps in accordance with the system and method of the present invention.

It is to be understood that the specific way that the source code is organized into files, modules and functions is a matter of programmer design choice and is not a limitation of the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, it shows a control system exemplar, generally identified 10, which comprises a first control 20 and a second control unit 30. As designated for this system 10, and for purposed of air brake testing in particular, the first control unit 20 is associated with the “northbound” tracks 12 and the second control unit 30 is associated with the “southbound” tracks 13. Also included as part of the system 10 is a group 40 of hand-held units, previously designated “HH”. As shown, the system 10 comprises four such units, HH1 42, HH2 44, HH3 46 and HH4 48, although more or less HH units could be used depending on system and yard requirements. A group 50 of end-of-train units, previously designated “EOT” is also provided. As shown, the system 10 comprises four such units, EOT1 52, EOT2 54, EOT3 56 and EOT4 58, although more or less EOT units could be used, again depending on system and yard requirements. Generally speaking, each HH unit has an EOT unit associated with it. That is, the HH unit HH1 42 is synched with the EOT unit EOT 52, and so on.

The first control unit 20 is wirelessly connected 22, 24 to the group of HH units 40 and to the group of EOT units 50. The second control unit 30 is likewise wirelessly connected 32, 34 to the group of HH units 40 and to the group of EOT units 50. Further, the first control unit 20 is wirelessly connected 26 to the second control unit 30.

More particularly, each of the HH units provides a user with remote interfacing to the control unit. The control unit is also wirelessly connected to one or more end-of-train devices (“EOT”/“EOTD”), each of which is designed to send a pressure reading metric from the end of the train back to the respective PLC of the control unit and to the respective HH unit that the EOT is synchronized with prior to testing. The EOTD is manufactured either 1) as a standalone End of train device for clients that currently do not use an EOTD to monitor End of Train pressure or 2) as an integrated chip set designed to be incorporated into the existing “client owned” EOTD. Both applications provide wireless communication through a proprietary chip set that is programmed specifically to link the EOTD and control.

Further, the disclosed EOT system can also utilize a standard published by the AAR (American Association of Railroads) under the communications section, AAR Standard S-9152.V2.2. This standard allows the reading of the majority of EOT devices with a radio and a modem. The radio is commercial available and operates at a frequency of about 450-470 MHz. The radio receives/sends signals to the EOTD. The available radio is high power however, (8 watts) and is uncomfortable for a user to operate. The EOT system disclosed herein is an improvement over the standard approach, for only one radio kept at the control unit is needed to communicate with all EOTD and with all HH units. Further, each HH unit connected to the control unit 20 via conventional WiFi or other forms of wireless communication can be connected to anyone of the EOTD.

The modem reads and interprets the data from the EOTD and converts it into a usable data packet. The modem reads the data from the radio, demodulates it, and sends the signal as a serial data packet to the PLC or sends an ASCII packet to a computer, via a serial packet of data, that is utilized for testing purposes.

The EOTD reading system disclosed herein only requires one radio—modem combo to be utilized by multiple hand held remote units and the testing ability of the kiosk. The conventional EOT method calls for a one to one ratio of EOTD units to Hand held remote units, which is no longer the case.

Using a HH unit, an operator can also manually open and close the main air supply valve remotely. This is safety feature designed to prevent injuries caused by working with compressed air while working on the train.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it shows a much simplified schematic version of the first control unit 20 to which an air supply 11 is provided by the yard. As previously alluded to, the control unit 20 then distributes the air to all tracks via a plurality of air lines 14 associate with a plurality of tracks 12 via a manifold 126 via air pressure lines 135. During operation, a test fixture directs the test to a selected rack while keeping full air supply to the non-testing tracks. In the event of power failure, all tracks will have a full supply of air.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it shows a slightly more detailed schematic version of the first control unit 20. The control unit 20 comprises an enclosure 122 to which pressurized air is supplied via air supply conduits 121 and to which electricity is supplied via a power entry 124. The enclosure 122 is electronically coupled to an operator kiosk 125, the kiosk 125 having a touch screen monitor 25 for user interfacing via a human machine interface (“HMI”) or user interface (“UI”). Where the display and a sensor detecting a touch action (hereinafter called “touch sensor”) configures a mutual layer structure (hereinafter called “touchscreen”), the monitor 25 is able to be used as an input device as well as an output device. In this case, the touch sensor can be configured as a touch film, a touch sheet, a touchpad or the like. The touch sensor can be configured to convert a pressure applied to a specific portion of the display or a variation of a capacitance generated from a specific portion of the display to an electric input signal. Moreover, it is able to configure the touch sensor to detect a pressure of a touch as well as a touched position or size. If a touch input is made to the touch sensor, a signal that corresponds to the touch is transferred to a touch controller (not shown). The touch controller processes the signal and then transfers the processed signal to an internal PLC 138 and to the electronics 128 that are disposed within the inner portion 123 of the enclosure 122.

The enclosure 122 further comprises an area within which a manifold 126 and a plurality of test fixtures 127 are provided. The enclosure 122 further comprises the radio 139 and modem 141 and a plurality of antennas 129 of the type used to wirelessly connect with the HH units 40, the EOT units 50 and the other control unit 30, as required.

In application a user takes an HH unit 42 and an EOT unit 52 to test a train that is controlled by the control unit 20, the train (not shown) being located on one of the northbound test tracks 12. The HH unit 42 and the EOT 52 are a matched or synched set, as previously discussed. The user will select which track 12 to use and which control unit location 20 to use. There will only be a total of two tracks in use at each location, so there will be three test fixture manifolds 126 at the control unit 20. Normal or “power loss” mode will have all valves bypass the control unit 20. The control unit 20 will have the HMI or UI monitor 25 at the kiosk 125 with a keyboard for user data entry. In this preferred embodiment, each test fixture will have a PLC to control and monitor the specific test devices, which consists of two valves (pneumatic controls with an “on” and an “off” control for each valve), two pressure transducers and one flow sensor. The main PLC will control the main bypass valves and determine which test fixture is being ported to the chosen track. Test results can be sent to a wireless printer 143 from either the control unit 20 or from any of the HH units 40.

Lastly, the preferred communications protocol will be the Modbus® serial protocol derived from a master/slave architecture (Modbus is a registered mark of Schneider Electric USA, Inc.). For the control units 20, 30, the SLAVE will be on COM1 and interface with an HH unit which is the MASTER. Also for the control units 20, 30, the MASTER will be on COM2 and interface with an EOT unit which is the SLAVE.

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that there has been provided a novel system and method that includes at least one control unit (although more can be provided as is described above), which control unit houses certain control electronics processors (e.g. a programmable logic controller or “PLC”) and hardware for purposes of air test implementation and information processing. The control unit is wirelessly connected to one or more HH units, each of which provides a user with remote interfacing to the control unit. The control unit is also wirelessly connected to one or more EOT units, each of which is designed to send a pressure reading from the end of a train to the respective PLC of the control unit and to the respective HH unit that the EOT unit is synched with. 

1. A system for wireless digital air brake testing, the system including: at least two hand held units, a control unit including a user interface, at least two end of train air brake units, an air manifold connected to the at least two end of train air brake units, electronics connecting the user interface to the air manifold to selectively supply air to selected end of train air brake units, and at least one hand held unit wirelessly connected to the electronics to also selectively supply air to selected end of train air brake units.
 2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit includes a radio communicating with at least two of the end of train air brake units.
 3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the control unit further includes a modem in communication with the radio and with the electronics.
 4. The system according to claim 3 wherein there are a plurality of hand held units, and wherein each hand held unit can communicate with each of the at least two end of train air brake units.
 5. A method for wireless digital air brake testing, the method comprising the steps of: providing at least two hand held units, a control unit including a user interface, at least two end of train air brake units an air manifold connected to the at least two end of train air brake units, electronics connecting the user interface to the air manifold to selectively supply air to selected end of train air brake units, and at least one hand held unit wirelessly connected to the electronics to also seal actively supply air to selected end of train air brake units, and using the hand held units to selectively supply air to selected end of train air brake units, and using the user interface to selectively supply air to selected end of train air brake units. Wherein the control unit includes a radio communicating with at least two of the end of train air brake units.
 6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the control unit includes a radio communicating with at least two of the end of train air brake units.
 7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the control unit further includes a modem in communication with the radio and with the electronics.
 8. The method according to claim 7 wherein there are a plurality of hand held units, and wherein each hand held unit can communicate with each of the at least two end of train air brake units. 